Systems for automatically removing slack from a parking brake cable by means of a ratchet and pawl mechanism are well known in the patented art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,942--Boyer et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,4676,666--Soucie disclose such mechanisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,867--Wortmann et al discloses a ratchet and pawl mechanism for automatically removing parking brake cable slack in which the cable take-up reel can be locked into a spring-biased caged condition by various lockout means disclosed therein. Once the parking brake cable is attached to the parking brake control and to the wheel brake assembly, the Wortmann et al lockout devise is released during the first application of the parking brake control by movement of the operating lever from its parking brake released position toward its parking brake applied position. It is necessary in this disclosure to wind the cable take-up reel against the force of the adjuster spring in order to set the lockout device in the locking position. Such winding can be difficult, especially after the parking brake control has been installed in the vehicle in which it is to be operated.
Systems for automatically removing slack from a parking brake cable by means of a spring clutch mechanism are also well known in the patented art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,242--Hass et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,786--Pare et al disclose such structures.